what
they are.”
“You want to
sleep with me.”
Yes. Definitely.
Maybe more, but neither of us had the clarity of thought to imagine beyond the
bedroom.
“You’re
beautiful. You’re sweet. You’re the best fuck I ever had.”
Her voice
lowered. “I bet you say that to all the virgins.”
“Give me a
shot.”
“It’s not that
simple, Nate.”
Nothing was simpler
than what our bodies craved. “It’s just sex. You liked it. I was there.”
Mandy couldn’t
look at me, like she was embarrassed to be the one woman who completely owned
my pleasure.
“You know I’m
not a girl who does…that.”
“I know you’re
freaked out. Something is bothering you, baby, and I don’t think it’s all about
the wedding. Let it go.”
“You have no
idea what I’m going through.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t, or this becomes more than just sex .” She shook her head. “I’m not like you,
Nate. I need stability and promises and more than just following instinct.”
“What about
desire?”
I pulled her
closer. She moved a hand to my chest, brushing over my heart. It was my luck
that it fucking pounded just as she touched me. I was drunk on her without
taking a sip.
“You’re
twenty-three, baby. You’re supposed to be having fun. Getting laid by men who
want nothing more than to fuck your brains out. You should be excited to escape
your family and see the world and have no responsibilities to anyone but yourself.”
Mandy’s voice
caught. “Is that what you want?”
“Doesn’t
everyone?”
“I don’t know.
No?”
“You only go
around once, right?” I nuzzled her, but Mandy refused to look at me. “Why not
have your fun before you’re saddled with all the bullshit that comes with those
complicated relationships you want. House. Husband. Kids running everywhere. That’s
so far in the future you shouldn’t even waste time imagining it. Right now you
have complete control over your life—so enjoy it.”
“You really have
no idea…” Mandy pushed away, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’m
sorry. I can’t do this now. I have to go.”
“What?”
Mandy didn’t
wait. She grabbed her purse and apologized to the band. She bolted from the
fellowship hall and escaped through the rear of the church. The door clanged
shut. I flinched.
What the hell
did I do wrong? I’d never had this much trouble getting a girl into bed.
And I wouldn’t
have gone through the trouble if it wasn’t for her.
Son of a bitch.
I resisted the urge to kick the chair. The musicians stood.
I faced them,
trying to grin through the embarrassment of getting rejected in the middle of a
waltz.
“Tell you what,”
I said. “You got this gig if one of you can explain to me what the fuck I did
wrong.”
Chapter Eight – Mandy
“You slept with
the stripper ?”
I stared in
horror at my sister. Lindsey overturned her margarita goblet and slurped the
last few droplets of the frozen concoction. Pretty sure it was just pink-tinted
tequila at this point, and she had reached her limit about three drinks ago.
I tangled my
hands in my hair. “But I only left you alone for ten minutes?”
Lindsey couldn’t
speak without slurring, but she could still chastise me with a wagging finger.
“I didn’t sleep
with him now . I wouldn’t fuck that curvy cock again! I gots my new man!
Getting married !”
The bachelorette
party whooped in excitement as Lindsey danced, stumbled, and nearly clocked
herself off the bar in an attempt to showcase the ring for the fourteenth time
that night.
I wasn’t as
amused as the other girls—or drunk, obviously. They hollered at the stripper
clad in a particularly shiny g-string and bow tie. Lindsey shouted the loudest.
“Curvy cock!
Curvy cock!” My sister swiped for the stripper’s red sequined thong. “That boy
don’t know if he’s going or coming, but Imma tell you…he’ll get there quick .”
Oh god. The
stripper stopped dancing to cover his
they are.”
“You want to
sleep with me.”
Yes. Definitely.
Maybe more, but neither of us had the clarity of thought to imagine beyond the
bedroom.
“You’re
beautiful. You’re sweet. You’re the best fuck I ever had.”
Her voice
lowered. “I bet you say that to all the virgins.”
“Give me a
shot.”
“It’s not that
simple, Nate.”
Nothing was simpler
than what our bodies craved. “It’s just sex. You liked it. I was there.”
Mandy couldn’t
look at me, like she was embarrassed to be the one woman who completely owned
my pleasure.
“You know I’m
not a girl who does…that.”
“I know you’re
freaked out. Something is bothering you, baby, and I don’t think it’s all about
the wedding. Let it go.”
“You have no
idea what I’m going through.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t, or this becomes more than just sex .” She shook her head. “I’m not like you,
Nate. I need stability and promises and more than just following instinct.”
“What about
desire?”
I pulled her
closer. She moved a hand to my chest, brushing over my heart. It was my luck
that it fucking pounded just as she touched me. I was drunk on her without
taking a sip.
“You’re
twenty-three, baby. You’re supposed to be having fun. Getting laid by men who
want nothing more than to fuck your brains out. You should be excited to escape
your family and see the world and have no responsibilities to anyone but yourself.”
Mandy’s voice
caught. “Is that what you want?”
“Doesn’t
everyone?”
“I don’t know.
No?”
“You only go
around once, right?” I nuzzled her, but Mandy refused to look at me. “Why not
have your fun before you’re saddled with all the bullshit that comes with those
complicated relationships you want. House. Husband. Kids running everywhere. That’s
so far in the future you shouldn’t even waste time imagining it. Right now you
have complete control over your life—so enjoy it.”
“You really have
no idea…” Mandy pushed away, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’m
sorry. I can’t do this now. I have to go.”
“What?”
Mandy didn’t
wait. She grabbed her purse and apologized to the band. She bolted from the
fellowship hall and escaped through the rear of the church. The door clanged
shut. I flinched.
What the hell
did I do wrong? I’d never had this much trouble getting a girl into bed.
And I wouldn’t
have gone through the trouble if it wasn’t for her.
Son of a bitch.
I resisted the urge to kick the chair. The musicians stood.
I faced them,
trying to grin through the embarrassment of getting rejected in the middle of a
waltz.
“Tell you what,”
I said. “You got this gig if one of you can explain to me what the fuck I did
wrong.”
Chapter Eight – Mandy
“You slept with
the stripper ?”
I stared in
horror at my sister. Lindsey overturned her margarita goblet and slurped the
last few droplets of the frozen concoction. Pretty sure it was just pink-tinted
tequila at this point, and she had reached her limit about three drinks ago.
I tangled my
hands in my hair. “But I only left you alone for ten minutes?”
Lindsey couldn’t
speak without slurring, but she could still chastise me with a wagging finger.
“I didn’t sleep
with him now . I wouldn’t fuck that curvy cock again! I gots my new man!
Getting married !”
The bachelorette
party whooped in excitement as Lindsey danced, stumbled, and nearly clocked
herself off the bar in an attempt to showcase the ring for the fourteenth time
that night.
I wasn’t as
amused as the other girls—or drunk, obviously. They hollered at the stripper
clad in a particularly shiny g-string and bow tie. Lindsey shouted the loudest.
“Curvy cock!
Curvy cock!” My sister swiped for the stripper’s red sequined thong. “That boy
don’t know if he’s going or coming, but Imma tell you…he’ll get there quick .”
Oh god. The
stripper stopped dancing to cover his
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